The Appeal of Plantation Labour: Economic Imperatives and Cultural Considerations among Javanese Workers in North Sumatra

The paper discusses the economic life of plantation workers in north Sumatra. The workers under consideration are Javanese, descendants of the early plantation workers. While they receive subsistence wages, work on the plantation is nonetheless considered attractive. The main reasons for this are the sense of security that comes with permanent employment and the benefits of a rice ration and housing, which are crucial supplements to wages. The concept of tentrem (security) is used by the workers to express the sense of peace that comes with plantation work, and as an explanation for their remaining on the plantation.